Continuing with my New Zealand theme, here is Jacinda Adern letting the children of New Zealand know that the Easter Bunny is definitely an Essential worker.

The first time I saw this concept was the Premier of Western Australia (who put out a press release), but as usual Jacinda Adern takes a great concept and makes it amazing.

A significant subset of my Covid19 reading in the last fortnight or so has been from the various leadership writers I follow describing all the lessons we can learn from Jacinda Adern. And this morning I also listened to this podcast interview with her where she talks a little bit about her experience of leading through this crisis.

When friends overseas painted a bleak picture of the advancing pall of coronavirus, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern listened.

“[They were] saying, ‘Go, just shut down, because here I am in lockdown with thousands of people dying. Just shut down’,” she tells Stuff‘s Coronavirus NZ podcast.

It helped make the decision to “go hard and go early”, to close New Zealand’s borders and enforce a lockdown.

Listen to the whole thing, but it reinforces an aspect of her leadership sometimes people miss (thanks Oscar for pointing this out to me). She listens widely to what is going on across the country and the world, and takes advice from experts. The reason she was ready for the question about the Easter Bunny (that video answers a question, it isn’t a prepared statement), is that she was already (personally, not her advisers) answering kids questions on her facebook feed. Plus she surrounds herself with good people – the Wellington Paranormal NZ police videos are my favourite.

Bit of Beauty

I’ve always loved a hot cross bun, but it wasn’t until I travelled through Italy during Easter a few years ago that I realised that every region has its own traditional easter dish. Pictured are the Pastiera Napoletana from Italy (Naples, as suggested by the name) (one picture baked by me, and the original with a glass of limoncello), a Simnel cake, traditionally eaten in England, and a cupcake invented here in Australia, by a teenage baker friend of ours, when we were all together at Easter a year ago.

I hope wherever you are this Easter, you are enjoying good food and good company, even if the company is virtual.

 

5 Comments

  1. I do like the Easter Edition. I could become a fan of the Wellington Paranormal NZ Poolice.
    As to the thing of beauty, it happens to be Passover week, no flour for the believers, as I am a non-
    believer, I can do virtual tasting. Love Marta

  2. Thanks Jennifer for some lovely positive thoughts and insights during this strange time. I really enjoyed reading it.
    Hope you and your family have a lovely Easter.
    – Melinda

  3. We had delicious buns which had some custard in there somewhere from a local eating place now doing take away gourmet things. Sorry! Eaten! No time for photo!
    Happy Easter.

  4. I recognise those cupcakes! Had to remind myself where we were last Easter. It seems a lifetime ago.

    1. Author

      When I was writing the post, it was hard to believe it was only a year ago. They were delicious!

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